Regulatory Roundup January 23, 2017

Regulatory Roundup is a weekly compilation of employee wellness and safety news. Please share this information with your policyholders as appropriate. For suggestions, contact Ashley Mikytuck at (512) 224-3986.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA issues recommended practices for anti-retaliation programs

As promised, OSHA has released their final version of the Recommended Practices for Anti-Retaliation Programs to assist employers in complying with the 22 whistleblower protection laws. The program outlines five key elements that employers should implement in order to create a successful program…MORE

Final ruling set for recordkeeping clarification

On January 18, 2017, a final ruling came into effect that serves to clarify employers’ obligation to maintain accurate records of recordable injuries and illnesses. This ruling does not add compliance obligations, but does clarify that employers must maintain records for five years. It also requires employers to review their logs at the end of each year to verify that an OSHA 301 Incident Report matches with each entry in the Form 300A…MORE

New quick card for slips, trips and falls during disaster response

OSHA released a new quick card resource for protecting workers from slips, trips and falls during natural and man-made disaster response. It pinpoints pre-incident planning, hazard assessments, personal protective equipment and training…MORE

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

New mobile app for sound levels

About 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels per year. To help, NIOSH released a new mobile application, NIOSH SLM, for measuring sound levels in the workplace. Users can measure, save and share real-time noise exposure data by using the built-in microphone or connecting an external microphone. The app also provides education on safe noise levels and hearing loss prevention…MORE

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Zika prevention efforts continue

Although we are hearing about it on the news less and less, the Zika virus is still a major concern across the world. As of this week, more than 800 global deployments have been made by the CDC of diagnostic kits, samples and even personnel to assist. The largest deployments have been to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Colombia…MORE

Studies, Resources, Trends, News

Serious, nonfatal injuries amount to $60 billion per year

A recent study found that more than $1 billion is spent by companies each year in workers’ compensation costs for serious, nonfatal injuries. The study also pointed out the ten most costly injuries in an attempt to show companies where to focus safety efforts. The top three include overexertion, falls on the same level and falls to a lower level…MORE

Patient-to-worker violence is a major concern in the healthcare industry. A recent study showed that data on violent events can reduce this exposure significantly. The researchers placed workers in different units: intervention units that received data and control units that received nothing. Intervention units received unit-level data on violent events in order to develop their own plan of action. Within two years, the risk of violent injuries was 60 percent lower than the risk for control groups…MORE

Steps to ban mesothelioma-causing asbestos

In the United States, about 3,000 people die from mesothelioma every year, and the clal for a blanket ban on asbestos is growing. Since the passing of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act this year, the EPA now has authority to review dangerous chemicals and ban them. The EPA has begun meetings to prioritize chemical substance reviews, but groups hope asbestos will be on the top of the list…MORE

Employee needs are expected to top workplace trends

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology polled members about predictions for workplace trends in 2017. The results show a movement toward the importance of employees’ needs and differences. Employee health and wellness made the top ten, and “the changing nature of performance management,” and “effective adaptation to change” came in at first and second…MORE